Kentfield, CA-Aug. 27, 2009—At its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 25, College of Marin Board of Trustees approved the hiring of the new Dean of Student Development and Special Services, Greta Siegel, who most recently served as Dean of Student Services at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, NV.

“Greta is an excellent addition to our team,” said COM Superintendent/President Frances L. White, Ph.D. “She brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the areas of counseling and special services and is deeply committed to student success.”

Siegel began her professional career as a vocational development specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Philadelphia, MS before moving to Albuquerque to serve as director of the Indian Children’s Program at the University of New Mexico. She later worked at Texas State Technical College West Texas to coordinate counseling and testing. She served as interim dean of students and director at ACT Center before moving to a dean of student services position at Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, NM.

“I am extremely happy to be here and to be a part of the team at College of Marin,” Siegel said. “Since I have arrived, I’ve observed a level of support for students that is inspiring. I look forward to building upon that base to bring some new best practices in service to students to COM.”

Siegel said her decision to come to COM was prompted in part by a strong recommendation by her former colleague at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), Maria Sheehan, president of TMCC. “She was aware of the challenge that Dr. White had assumed in bringing COM back into accreditation compliance and advised me that the college was positioned to excel. After meeting administrators, faculty and staff during the interview process, I had no doubts that I wanted to be a part of the COM team.”

Siegel has a Bachelor of Science degree in Educational Psychology with a minor in Business and Computer Science and a Master of Education degree in Counselor Education with emphasis in Rehabilitation Counseling and Vocational Assessment from Mississippi State University. She has studied vocational special needs issues and law. While at TMCC, Siegel served as an administrative negotiator with the Nevada Faculty Alliance and worked on protocol development for suicidal students and crisis response in student services. She has administered a federal grants program relating to Hispanic services and intercollegiate athletics and oversaw student access programs, advisement, counseling, matriculation, admissions and records, veterans’ services, international services, enrollment management, career services, educational services, tutoring, ADA, peer mentoring, retention, student activities, clubs/organizations, student senate, recruitment, registrar, financial aid and the success center. Greta is a Paul Harris Fellow having served through Rotary International in both New Mexico and Nevada.

College of Marin is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is one of 112 public community colleges in California. Approximately 11,000 credit and noncredit students enroll annually.